The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for improving the oil delivery of a lubricating system for lubricating the axle-journal surface mounted in a support bearing of a locomotive traction motor. The oil-wick delivery system for lubricating the axle-journal surface mounted in a support bearing of a locomotive traction motor includes a wick holder that supports and mounts a central lubricating wick having a lower end portion or section received in an oil reservoir, which oil, via capillary action, is delivered by the wick to the axle-journal surface by means of a window formed in the shell of the traction motor support bearing. The other, upper wick-face section of the wick is received in the window for contact against the axle-journal surface, to thereby provide the proper lubrication.
Examples of this lubricating system are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,980,472; 3,827,769; 3,905,659; 4,229,056; and 5,082,089. One such prior-art system is also shown in FIG. 1, and is indicated generally by reference numeral 10, and includes an oil reservoir 12 for storing lubricant, and a carrier assembly 14 connected to the axle cap 16 of a friction support bearing 18 used for mounting a locomotive traction motor to the wheel axle assembly. The carrier assembly 14 has a spring 22, such as a coil or torsion spring, that biases a wick-holder unit 34 toward a wick window, or lubricating opening, 26 formed in the shell of the friction support bearing 18, through which window oil is delivered to the axle-journal surface 37 mounted in the friction support bearing. The wick-holder unit consists of a slide bracket element or member 32 which is mounted for sliding movement in the carrier assembly 14, a wick holder member 34 of arcuate shape that is connected to the slide bracket element 32, and a felt wick 36 having an upper section of similar arcuate shape mounted in the wick holder 34. The wick defines a wick-face 36′ that contacts the axle-journal surface 37.
In Applicants' above-mentioned co-pending application Ser. No. 11/284,635, there are disclosed various embodiments for increasing oil-wick lubrication for a friction support bearing of a locomotive traction motor by means of providing louver-reservoirs or reservoir-pockets that are formed either as part of the wick-holder or as part of a separate splash sleeve that is mounted over, and connected to, the lower end portion of the felt wick. These reservoir-pockets receive and store oil that has been splashed and sloshed in the main oil-wick reservoir during normal locomotive operation, to thereby temporarily store and delivery this captured oil to upper portions of the felt wick for enhanced lubrication by the felt wick. This enhanced lubrication by the felt wick has special relevance and advantage when the level of the oil of the main oil reservoir for the wick has been reduced to a minimum level.
In the non-pressure lubrication system of which the present invention is used, it would be highly beneficial to ensure that the proper rate of lubricant is delivered to the axle-journal surface mounted in the support bearing of the locomotive traction motor, so that a concomitant decrease of wear and tear and lengthening of the service life of the axle-journal surface-area occurs. The present invention is directed to providing such an optimal flow rate of lubricant to the axle-journal surface-area via face of the wick lubricator, independent of the oil level present in the reservoir between maximum and minimum service levels.